Uncategorized

USA Today has a sneak preview of the upcoming teaser trailer for “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” which includes our first look at a young Tom Riddle as portrayed by Hero Fiennes-Tiffin. Director David Yates says of the the ten year old nephew of actor Ralph Fiennes (who portrays the grown up version of Tom Riddle, better known as Lord Voldemort) “His mother (Martha Fiennes) is a film director, and Hero was very focused and disciplined,” Yates says. “The fact that he’s related to Ralph wasn’t the primary reason for choosing him. It was an advantage that he looked very similar to Ralph. Of course that was useful. But primarily I went for Hero because of this wonderful haunted quality that seemed to bring Tom Riddle alive on-screen for us.”

Yates stressed how hard it can be for very young actors to find the necessary dark place to play such a creepy character. “But even though he’s the nicest child you’d ever want to meet, sweet-natured and pleasant, he got the corners and dark moods and odd spirit of the character.”

Fans will also see a slightly older version of Tom Riddle, as a teenager, who will be portrayed in the film by actor Frank Dillane. The other big news tonight is this new look at Professor Dumbledore in the dramatic cave scene (click at link, then on left side)In the heat of battle: Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) and Harry have gone on a perilous journey into a cave filled with dark magic and are attacked by Inferi, reanimated and haunted dead people. Dumbledore creates a firestorm to fend off the dangerous spooky creatures. “It’s almost a biblical image,” says Yates. “He’s a bit like Charlton Heston when he parts the Red Sea.”

As reported previously, the first teaser trailer for the sixth Harry Potter film will debut tomorrow online via AOL, and will also be shown in movie theaters this weekend before the film “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.” Of interest is the report that the film has indeed completed the editing process, and will begin rare test screenings next month.